


New Attica

by Alexandria (heartfullofelves)



Category: Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF, Historical RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Communism, Communists in Space, F/F, Gen, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 12:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8402515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria
Summary: A poet, a scientist, and a courtesan are late to their own party.





	

New Attica was one of the middle planets, a large world with a big population and a busy trading centre. It wasn’t a tourist attraction like the inner planets, but its inhabitants were a proud and passionate people who had just that morning overthrown the monarchy, allowing the New Attica Communist Party to take the reins.

Tonight, the people of Attica City, the planet’s capital, were celebrating, either at private dos or public events. The Communist Party was hosting one of these larger events to commemorate their success of a bloodless revolution. The partygoers were having a ball. There was one problem, however: the guests of honour were missing.

* * *

Sappho screamed as their ship was rammed from behind, throwing all the unsecured objects – including her – across the control room. She ended up crouched behind the pilot’s chair. Before the ship increased speed to outrun their pursuers, she scrambled into the only free seat.

“Buckle up,” Aspasia said from the passenger seat next to her.

Shaking, Sappho did. “Can we outrun them?” she asked the back of the pilot’s chair.

“We can, but it won’t be pretty,” answered Hypatia. “It’ll be bumpy, and we’ll have to be extremely careful when we hit orbit.”

“Oh gods.” Sappho reached across and clutched Aspasia’s hand.

“Relax,” Aspasia soothed, stroking Sappho’s thumb. “We’ll make it. Now, did you write something for the ceremony?”

Sappho’s tension dissipated with each of Aspasia’s strokes on her skin. “I composed a little poem, nothing much really, just a few hopeful words for the future.”

“A few good words about the future is all they’ll need.” Aspasia smiled. “I’m sure it’s beautiful.”

Sappho blushed as she always did when the gorgeous, seductive Aspasia complimented her. “We’ll see.”

“Can you shut up while I’m calculating lifesaving equations?” Hypatia snapped. “Save your flirting for when we aren’t all in danger, thank you.”

Sappho blushed even more, avoiding Aspasia’s gaze.

Then, “Hold onto your knickers!” Hypatia yelled, just as the ship zoomed forwards in a sudden burst of speed.

Sappho and Aspasia yelped, clinging to their seats and to each other. The ship continued at this pace for some time, until Sappho saw New Attica flying towards them at lightning speed. “Hypatia!” she yelled.

Hypatia yanked a lever and the ship slowed as they approached the planet’s orbit. The three women looked at the radar and sighed: they’d lost the bounty hunters.

“Thank the gods that’s over,” Hypatia muttered as she prepared the ship for entering atmosphere.

“Now we just need to get a nice dress for you,” Aspasia said with a smug smile.

Hypatia groaned. “Do I have to?”

“I think you’ll look really nice,” Sappho offered.

“Does it not seem weird to you that we just kicked out a capitalist, patriarchal government and to celebrate we have to wear pretty, feminine clothes that were made in factories by the working class?” Hypatia pointed out.

“Well, when you put it like that…” Sappho frowned.

“I didn’t say it’s moral, but it _is_ expected. It’s a formal occasion, after all,” Aspasia said.

Hypatia hit a button on her dashboard and pulled a lever. The ship began hurtling down towards the planet’s surface. Sappho screeched – she wasn’t at all used to space travel – and clutched her chair with iron-strong fingers. She was never travelling off-world again.

Hypatia began slowing their descent at 30,000 feet, eventually coming to a nice altitude at which they could see the ocean glimmering below.

“Um, Hypatia?” Aspasia frowned.

“What?” Hypatia snapped.

Aspasia tilted her head. “This isn’t Attica City, is it?”

Sappho watched the exchange in silence, eyes flicking between her companions.

“I may’ve made a slight error in my calculations,” Hypatia admitted, not turning around even though she’d put the ship on autopilot.

“A _slight_ error?”

Attica City was landlocked.

“Ladies, I think we’re going to miss our own party,” Hypatia announced in a neutral tone.

Sappho sighed, while Aspasia unbuckled her seatbelt and went to stand beside Hypatia, hands on hips as she stared the pilot down. “Hypatia, tonight’s meant to be the most important social event of our _careers_ and we’re going to miss it! The Communist Party relies on us to lead them – what are they going to think if we abandon them? I can’t believe we’re going to miss our own victory dinner.” Aspasia put her head in her hands. “Not to mention I had some important clients I promised to meet. Gods, Hypatia, you’ve ruined everything.”

“You didn’t do this just so you wouldn’t have to wear a dress, did you?” Sappho’s voice was small.

Hypatia whipped around in her chair and glared.

“Sorry.” Sappho winced.

Aspasia slumped back into her chair. “It’s over. I’ll have to quit the party. We’re finished.”

Sappho undid her seatbelt and stood at Aspasia’s side, putting a gentle hand on the courtesan’s shoulder.

Hypatia sighed. “I’m sorry, Aspasia. Sorry, Sappho,” she said. “I must’ve got distracted when I was making the calculations. And now we’re not even in the right hemisphere.”

“It’s not your fault,” Sappho said.

Aspasia looked up with surprised dark eyes, but Sappho’s firm hand on her shoulder warned her not to speak.

“Thanks, Sappho.” Hypatia smiled at her. “Your faith in me means a lot.”

Sappho held up a finger in front of Aspasia.

“I’m really sorry.” Hypatia ran a hand through her mid-length hair. “I know this party was important.”

“Can we get a message through?” Sappho asked.

Aspasia and Hypatia stared at her, startled.

“If they can play our voices through a speaker, then it won’t matter if we’re not really there; they’ll still hear what we have to say. Just an idea.” She shrugged.

“Sappho, you’re a genius!” Aspasia leapt up and grabbed Sappho’s face, planting a kiss on her lips.

Sappho blushed, not sure what to do, though her heart raced at the physical contact.

Hypatia typed on her dashboard keypad. “There’s still a few hours before midnight in Attica City,” she announced. “Are you ready for your speeches?”

“I sure am,” replied Sappho.

“Let’s do it.” Aspasia grinned, wrapping an arm around Sappho’s shoulders.

Sappho turned to look at Aspasia and grinned back. It had been a long day, with a revolution in the morning, an emergency meeting with leaders from their socialist neighbouring planet in the afternoon, and a chase from bounty hunters from the capitalist outer planets in the evening, but they’d made it through, and they’d done it all for their people.

“Okay, ladies,” said Hypatia. “We’re live in Attica City in 3-2-1…”


End file.
